Chapter 1 - Somewhere in a small town in Seattle

1975

Lucas POV

I'd not had an easy life, at least not me. To onlookers, I was the perfect Lucas Stockhelm. I looked like the stereotype of a runway model, raven black hair, green eyes, a perfect jawline, a gorgeous smile, and a stunning physique. I was the Lucas who championed the soccer team of my local high school in every competition but somehow still aced all my tests. Sure I was on the honour roll, and the girls loved me ... even some guys although I decided never to venture into that. I was even the perfect gentleman, so how wasn't my life easy?

My mother had raised me all on her own. She'd made some bad choices in college and had to drop out to have me. My father? He was never part of the picture. So from a young age, I had to watch my mother crack under pressure. She was rarely home, having to run several shifts to support us. Whenever she finally came home she was always stressed out but still made time to find out how my day went. When we were done talking she'd creep away to her room to cry. Sometimes throughout the night. She had a friend who owned a modeling agency, Miss Hilda was very nice she always checked on us and ensured my mum was okay. Mum found it hard to open up to her about our problems though.

I was 5 when I first found out I was a little hotshot. My mum had just dropped me off at school that morning and my friend's mum saw me and fussed over me. Inviting me to their kids' birthday parties and hangouts that weren't coming up for weeks. After that, I asked Miss Hilda for a job and she granted me on the spot. It helped ease up the stress on Mum and all I had to do was smile and put on a couple of clothes and products for the money to come rolling in.

I am now 18 and a high school graduate. My mum was even more happy about this than me.... I should think. My friends were having the traditional "night in the woods" which every high school graduating set in our town had ever since high school came about. I didn't feel like going, so I opted for lying half-naked in my room flipping through old comics. Besides Mum was making a cake for me, I didn't want to leave her alone tonight, something felt wrong about going to the woods.

"Lu! Peter's here!", my mum's voice made its way upstairs to alert me of the impending doom.

I rolled over onto the floor in an attempt to hide under my bed. My room door flew open before my task was half completed and the calloused hands of my best friend wrapped round my ankles and tugged me out of my haven. "Not cool Luc!" he snapped at me, fighting the grin on his face as I raised my hands to plead innocent. "Get dressed and come downstairs you have five minutes."

"I was honestly about to come you know? I didn't just know what to wear." I called after his exiting figure in self-defense.

He stuck his head back ."Yeah I'm sure that's true you were only looking for your shoes under there!", sarcasm dripped from his tone. Wear whatever no one cares enough."

I pulled on tennis shoes and a plain black shirt to go with my khaki shorts and trudged downstairs. Peter was already in the kitchen making my mum laugh as she worked on the island. He was easy to be with like that.

"I'm ready!" I said and walked over to hug my mother after Peter called out goodbye and headed for the door. I pulled her against me muttering a quick I love you and placing a kiss on her temple.

"I'm so proud of you Lu. Go have fun" she said relinquishing her hold on me. I now had a fully funded sports scholarship that to study any course at any university of my choice. I sauntered lazily to the front door. Peter play-punched me in the arm and made a teasing comment about my outfit choice.

"You told me you'd be there you asshole" Peter began his assault on my ears without giving me a chance to speak. "They threw me out of the party to find you less than thirty minutes after I arrived."

I winced a bit "I'm sorry Pete, it's just... something doesn't feel right about this "night in the woods"."

"Doesn't feel right? Dude this is the most right thing that has happened since we began high school but if you want to start your career as a psychic, good luck!" he chuckled

I smiled a little at his enthusiasm and let the comfortable silence take over as we walked to the party site. This was one of the many reasons Pete was my best friend, he didn't feel the incessant need to feel each moment of the day with mindless chattering. Just our presence was enough comfort to each other.

The music began permeating the eerie silence before Pete spoke again. "Becky is looking nice tonight," he said. I frowned at him

"You of all people know such details aren't important" I sighed. Becky was one of my many admirers. I never had time to settle down and get into a serious relationship between school, soccer, and modeling although I messed around occasionally.

"Becky isn't like the others, buddy. She's one of the real deal girls. You better start using your brain instead of testosterone to think and make decisions!" He said before leaving me and heading into the party.